Lancaster Festival bike race draws dozens of area youth

Jul. 27, 2013

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Written by

Vince Nairn

The Eagle-Gazette Staff

Parents cheer along West Wheeling Street as a competitor rides his bike during Friday's Lancaster Festival bike race. / David Stith/Eagle-Gazette

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LANCASTER — Children of many ages received an up-close introduction Friday to the universal language of sports: Competition.

About 100 boys and girls ranging from ages 3 to 10 took turns racing down Wheeling Street in bike races as part of the Lancaster Festival. The kids were divided by age groups and raced in heats going down one block of Wheeling Street from Broad to Columbus.

“I just thought it would be fun to do,” said Patty Stetzer, whose 10-year-old twin grandsons — Ian and Connor Socolik — participated in the event. “It’s good for the competition.”

In previous years, the event was held by the Fairfield County District Library on Broad Street, but it was moved to in front of Standing Stone National Bank in part because the road there had less of a slope.

The races started with the youngest, who were 4 and under. As the ages increased, it caused more problems for the ground of police officers and workers from Fairfield Medical Center who were tasked with ensuring the racers stopped before the end of the block.

“The young ones were were too cute,” Stetzer said.

Troy Barnett watched as his 5-year-old granddaughter Brooke Longfellow raced the rest of her age group. Barnett has a 13-year-old daughter who used to compete in the races, so it was a natural for Brooke to be next.

“We’ve been doing this a while,” said Barnett, who has seen the event for about seven years. “This is a great event. It’s well-put together and well-organized.”

While many participated in a bike decorating contest — which yielded designs including cardboard flames, flowers and action figures — Brooke’s was just an ordinary bike.

“Just business,” Barnett said, smiling

Neil Northrup had children Owen, 8, and Ian, 7, competing.

“It’s nice to see the kids get out here,” he said. “Nice to see them getting some exercise, staying out of trouble.”

As the judges — which included Lancaster Mayor David Smith — ruled on the bike decorations, the other children warmed up by biking up and down the street. It caused a little chaos with bikes occasionally bumping into each other, much to the chagrin of the parents on the sidewalk.

“That’s the best part,” Barnett said, laughing. “Watching them warm up and try to avoid running into each other. That’s the funniest.”